Research focus

In his research, Rasmus explores how organizational members construct meaning during mergers and acquisitions, particularly in post-merger integration processes. More broadly, he examines how individuals and groups navigate the uncertainty, ambiguity, tensions, and unforeseen developments that often accompany radical strategic decisions and organizational transformations.

Theoretical foundation

To address these research questions, Rasmus draws on his psychological background and theories of temporality, sensemaking, and narrative perspectives, bringing them together to shed light on organizational members' evolving interpretations of events and their implications. This entails studying how individuals and groups use temporal frames to connect past experiences to future expectations and construct stories around the organizational changes they encounter, as well as how such meaning-making processes shape actions and decisions across organizational levels. Underlying this work is Rasmus' curiosity about the human need to create meaning in unfamiliar and uncertain contexts, and his interest in engaging with this phenomenon through both empirical research and philosophical inquiry.

Methodological approach

Methodologically, Rasmus primarily relies on qualitative, in-depth studies of organizations, using ethnographic techniques and interviews, while occasionally drawing on discursive and narrative analysis. Through these methods, he examines the everyday practices and interactions through which integration, strategy-making, and project implementation processes unfold. This methodological approach is attentive to the emergent dynamics of organizational change, including the responses, adaptations, and forms of resistance that may arise in unexpected and difficult-to-anticipate ways.

Connecting research and practice

Alongside his academic work, Rasmus advises public and private companies on strategy and organizational development. This active practical experience provides ongoing insight into challenges across organizational levels, from executive leadership teams to frontline employees, enabling him to engage with the realities of organizational life and change processes while maintaining a strong focus on their human dimensions.

His work spans research, advisory services, teaching, workshop facilitation, and report writing, allowing him to bridge academia and practice through the development of insights that are both theoretically informed and practically relevant.

Rasmus Meldgaard Hjalgrim